title: Towards a comprehensive Functional Capacity Evaluation for hand function.
abstract: The aim of this study was to develop a more efficient (i.e. shortened) protocol for hand function capacity evaluation and to test the agreement of the protocol compared to the original protocol. 643 Healthy subjects performed tests for hand function. Agreement between two shortened protocols was compared with an existing protocol. The original protocol was performed once and the proposed shortened protocol differed in the number of trials which were reduced by statistical elimination. Agreement was determined with Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) and Limits of Agreement (LoA). Excellent ICCs (≥0.91) were observed in all proposed protocols except for the one trial purdue pegboard test protocol. For all tests of hand function, shorter protocols are valid to determine hand function. For Tip Pinch Strength testing, Palmar Pinch Strength testing and the Purdue Pegboard test, a two-trial protocol is recommended, because the LoA were considerable, which could affect decision-making with regards to hand capacity. For the Hand Grip strength test, the Key Pinch Strength test and the Complete Minnesota Dexterity Test, a one-trial protocol is recommended, because the LoA were acceptable. It was concluded that for healthy subjects, this shorter protocol is a reliable measure. Further testing of the short form hand FCE protocols should be completed on patients with disabling conditions prior to widespread use of these protocols among clinical samples.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hollak
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, P.O. Box 30.002, 9750 RA Haren, Groningen, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Spine Center, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: r.soer@cvr.umcg.nl.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soer
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, P.O. Box 30.002, 9750 RA Haren, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: van der Woude
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, P.O. Box 30.002, 9750 RA Haren, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reneman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052581:Pinch Strength; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ASHT; American Association of Hand Therapists; FCE; Functional Capacity Evaluation; Hand function; Hand strength; ICC; Intraclass Correlation Coefficients; Limits of Agreement; LoA; SDD; Smallest Detectable Difference